ROUNDUP

Featuring reports and updates on PNGAA projects and other news of interest to members

 

The Kiap Memorial Update

At the time of writing, the final design for the Kiap Memorial has been agreed. The site in the Senate Gardens of Parliament House has been set aside, and the formalities between the different agencies are being finalised. Now for a contract to build the memorial.

There may be a ground-breaking ceremony in late August 2025, on the site. But there will be no activity there on 16 September. Celebrations for PNG’s 50th Anniversary of Independence will happen in Port Moresby and elsewhere.

After several years of lobbying the Federal Government, with the help of Luke Gosling MP, Member for Solomon in the Northern Territory, there was major breakthrough in February 2023.

During a visit to PNG by our PM, the PNG Prime Minister said to him, ‘… ah, that’s something I want to talk to you about—acknowledging the work of the kiaps.’

Twelve months later, in February 2024, Mr Marape visited Canberra, planted a tree (a ‘Brittle’ gum) at Regatta Point, on Lake Burley Griffin, to acknowledge all kiaps who went to PNG. The PNG Prime Minister also visited National Archives, and addressed a joint sitting of Parliament.

In a joint statement post during that 2024 visit, the two governments agreed to work together to build a memorial. Since then DFAT has chaired a committee with representation from PNG, Prime Minister and Cabinet, National Capital Authority, Parliamentary Services, the architect, and the kiap community.

After consultation, including with the original architect of the parliamentary grounds, the final design was agreed at the beginning of July.

The featured mock-up photo (opposite) shows a grove with a white concrete pillar, about two metres tall, with a bronze plaque and including a dedication to the kiaps who died in Papua and New Guinea, from 1922 on. That date coincides with the reintroduction of civil administration in Papua and civil administration in what had been German New Guinea.

The area of the memorial is to be paved, with an existing rock wall remaining. Ringing the space will be 22 rocks, one from each province in PNG. Each rock will be anchored and identified on an information post at the entrance to the grove.

That post will be bronze, etched with a brief history of the field administration of PNG, and topped with a the Raggiana bird-of-paradise—Gerrus paradisaea. There will be a QR code linked to a DFAT maintained website to give more information and provide more links.

There will be no names on the memorial, primarily because we do not know everyone who died in PNG. The records are incomplete and a search on the National Archives site admits that there are many gaps with PNG records.

We can identify 86 kiaps who died while working in PNG—the last one to die in PNG was post-Independence, in 1978. This is for them and for those who remain unnamed.

More died on returning to Australia, and there are those who carried scars and memories long into old age. And we do not forget the partners and wives who shared outstation life and raised families while supporting their kiap.

About two years ago, at the beginning of the conversation about a memorial, there was concern that what was being proposed by way of a Kiap Memorial was self-aggrandisement.

Let there be no doubt that remembering those kiaps who died in PNG and who did not come home, is an act of deep respect and love from those who came home to tell the stories!

A dedication of the Kiap Memorial could be expected in the second half of 2026.

Bill Sanders, July 2025

PNG KUNDU

Official Journal of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia Inc.

Thanks to Christine

Christine Leonard has regretfully needed to resign from the editorial role she’s been handling since early 2024.

Her ideas have been refreshing for the publication, and we have enjoyed her friendship and having her on the team. We wish her well with her other ongoing commitments for the future.

But now, we welcome our new editor—John Reeves!

The New Editor

After discovering that my grandfather served with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF) in 1914 before going to France in WWI, I visited Rabaul for the 2014 Anzac Centenary. A contingent of Aussies was there and I found out about the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia (PNGAA).

Since then I have developed an abiding passion for PNG. Although, I admit, until now I have had a bias towards East New Britain, I am looking forward to learning more about PNG and the ‘land of the unexpected’.

In saying that, I believe strongly that the Association is a remarkable bridge to cross the gap that Australians have in acknowledging the history of our two countries.

I look forward to assisting in promoting PNG in our fields of endeavour and, in the broader sense, highlighting issues, where needed, for the betterment of the PNG people.

Over the years I have travelled to Rabaul many times for Anzac Day and other commemorations, and it is through these visits that I realised the lack of understanding that many Australians have about PNG.

This lack of knowledge often leads to misconceptions and oversights about the rich history and culture of these regions.

As a late-blooming historian, I look forward to editing the journal so that it is both reflective and inspires the future … so that it enshrines the memories of those Australians who have worked and lived in PNG, and it also highlights new achievements and successes in PNG.

I look forward to receiving a wide variety of articles and information to share with PNGAA members.

Finally, I wish to thank all those who have assisted me, while I am still finding my feet.

John Reeves

New Journal Layout

We’re always trying to make PNG Kundu easier to read for members and, to this end, we’ve incorporated all the smaller regular categories into a new section, ‘News & Views’, which will, of course, contain all the normal features but in a slightly different format—hope you enjoy!

‘Unity in Diversity’

In each issue this year, the journal has featured stories about PNG’s independence and celebrations, and this issue contains so many that our usual articles have been held over until the December issue!

Don’t worry, they’ll all be there—and will give you something great to read over the holiday period!

Length of Submissions

Over the last few issues, many of the submissions have been well over the acceptable word limit.

Please note that articles should be between 500 and 1,200 words—longer submissions are welcome but may be split over two or more sequential issues due to space restraints.

Other contributions (Events, Letters, Vales & Tributes, Roundup, Reviews, etc.) ideally should be no more than 300–500 words, and longer ones may be published on the website.

Front Cover

To celebrate 50 years of PNG Independence, this issue’s cover features the raising of the new Papua New Guinea flag on Independence Hill, Port Moresby at 10 am, 16 September 1975.